AMERICAN REVOLUTION
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Europeans viewed the colonies as their property. They existed in order to serve their home nation. The colonies produced crops and goods that could then be shipped back to their mother country in order to enrich those who lived there. The colonies also existed, in their view, as a place where goods could be sold. The colonies were expected to remain loyal to their mother country, and submit to any decisions made on their behalf by their mother country but many of the inhabitants of the colonies had come to the Americas in order to escape persecution, for their religious or extreme political views. As a result, there was a higher concentration of radical thinkers in the Americas than there were in Europe.
Many of the colonists had been born in the Americas, and had never visited Europe. As a result, they considered themselves Americans, and not Europeans. Increasingly their loyalty was to the colony, and not to the distant mother country. Colonies began to become tired of the restrictions placed on them by their mother countries. These restrictions favored their parent nations, but made life more difficult for the colonies. Some of these restrictions did not allow them to trade with any nations, making it more difficult for them to sell their goods. Increasingly these colonies viewed themselves as independent states, separate from their mother country.
THE ORIGINS
In order to help cover the cost of the war between Great Britain and France, British officials began to establish new taxes in the Colonies. In 1765 a tax was passed by Great Britain known as the stamp act. This law required all colonists to pay a tax to Great Britain on all of the printed materials that they used: newspapers, magazines, and even playing cards. All of these materials were required to have a stamp placed on them, in order to show that the tax had been paid.
Colonist were annoyed, and responded by boycotting all British goods. They also attacked officials who were sent by Great Britain to enforce the stamp act, and burned the stamps in the street. Many of the colonies sent representatives to a special meeting in New York, which they called The Stamp Act Congress, where the colonies voted and declared that Parliament did not have the right to pass taxes on the colonies because they did not have any representation in parliament. Many of the colonists began crying “No taxation without representation”. As a result, the British Parliament repealed the stamp act just one year later in 1766.
Parliament in Great Britain had lost the battle over the stamp act. However, they were determined to assert their control over the colonies. In 1766 they passed a new decree that reaffirmed their right to pass laws concerning the colonies. The next year they passed a number of new taxes, including a tax on glass, lead, paper, and tea. The colonies were again annoyed, and many refused to pay them. In order to enforce these new tax laws, British officials requested military troops to aid them. These military troops outraged[1] the colonists. In the winter of 1770 a small group of colonists in Boston were taking out their frustration with the troops by insulting them, and throwing snowballs at them. In revenge, these soldiers opened fire, killing four of the Bostonians. This event became known as the Boston Massacre.
The events of the Boston Massacre were spread quickly by newspapers throughout the colonies further angering colonists. As a result, Great Britain was forced to once again repeal all of the new taxes they had enacted[2]. However, in order to send a message that they were still in charge, they left the tax on tea in place.
THE BOSTON TEA PARTY
The tax on tea that Parliament had passed greatly affected the tea business in the colonies. The price of tea in the Americas increased, making it more difficult for tea growers, producers, and shippers to survive. In order to insure that British companies would not be hurt by this new tax, Parliament passed a law that exempted British companies from having to pay the tax. This meant that these companies could sell their tea cheaper, almost guaranteeing that companies based in the Americas would go out of business.
In protest a group of individuals dressed up as Native Americans boarded a cargo ship in Boston Harbor, and dumped its entire load of tea into the harbor waters. This event became known as the Boston tea party.
In response to the Boston tea party the Parliament in Great Britain passed a number of new laws, which completely closed down the Boston Harbor until colonists paid for the cost of the tea that had been dumped into the harbor. These new laws also greatly limited the freedoms of the colonists, requiring them to obtain permission from the governor prior to holding any public meetings, and greatly limiting the power of the legislature. These new laws became known by the colonies as the intolerable acts.
As a result of the intolerable acts, which had been passed by the British Parliament, colonists in the Americas become increasingly convinced that they needed to take more aggressive steps in order to protect themselves, and their liberty.
On September 5, 1774, 56 delegates were sent from each of the 13 colonies to meet in Philadelphia as representatives of The First Continental Congress. The First Continental Congress passed resolutions stating that the British Parliament did not have the right to pass laws in the colonies, and only had the right to regulate trade between the colonies and Great Britain. They further resolved that by December of the same year they would cease importing any goods from Great Britain, and that by September of the following year, they would cease exporting any goods to Great Britain.
In April of 1775 tensions in the Colonies were very high. Many of the 13 colonies had begun to raise armies in order to defend themselves against the possibility of war with Great Britain.
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
The Second Continental Congress charged Thomas Jefferson with the responsibility of writing a declaration of independence that would be sent to Great Britain. On July 4th, 1776 this declaration was officially adopted by the Continental Congress, and a new nation was born.
The Declaration of Independence stated the belief that a government had a responsibility to the people it governed, and that if they abused their responsibilities, that the people who were ruled had the right to rebel. The declaration then went on to detail many of the abuses that the colonies had endured at the hands of the British Government, and finally to declare that the colonies were now separate sovereign states.
By declaring their independence, the colonists had insured that there would be a war in the Americas. There was no longer any hope for a peaceful solution to the conflict between the colonies, and their mother country Great Britain. A long, difficult war would follow, which would devastate the colonies. They were simply not equipped to fight such a powerful military force. Many times, it appeared as though the British were just a few steps away from winning the war. However, the American soldiers held out.
As the war carried on year after year, the Americans began to win important battles, embarrassing the British. As this happened, the French, who were upset about the territory they had lost to Great Britain became convinced that the Americans could win, and sent ships and supplies to help the colonists. Spain who had also lost territory to Great Britain also sent help to the colonies. By August of 1781 the British were forced to surrender in Yorktown Virginia.
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES
After several months of debate, and compromise, they signed the Constitution of the United States into law, creating the United States of America.
In order to protect citizens, power was divided between three separate but equal branches of government. These branches were the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, and the Judicial Branch. Each branch of government had checks and balances that insured that no one branch could grow too powerful. This constitution also guaranteed certain rights to the people, helping to insure that they were treated fairly. Shortly after the constitution was signed, 10 amendments[3] were added to it, known as the bill of rights, which granted even more freedoms to the people of The United States.
This new nation was to be headed by a President, rather than a monarch. This President would be elected by the legislature, which was in turn elected by the people. This type of government is known as a republic.
TASKS:
20. Why did the colonist consider themselves Americans?
20. Why did the colonist consider themselves Americans?
21. What was the Stamp Act? What did happen because of it?
22. Why did the Boston Massacre happen?
23. Explain the Bpston Tea Party: causes, facts and consequences.
24. Who was the one who wrote the Declaration of Independence? What did it mean for the Americans?
25. Why did the Americans win the war? When?
26. Explain the Constitution of the United States. Why was it so important?
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